Price tag



`Nov. 5, 1935. G. A. WALLIN PRICE TAG Filed Feb. 27, 1955 nga.

INVENTOR Z/Zg Patented Nov. 5, 1935 PATENT OFFICE i PRICE T AG Gustaf A.Wallin, Flushing, N. Y., assigner to A. Kimball Company, New York, N.Y., a cor- Y poration of New York Application February 27,1935, serialNo. 8,437

3 claims. (c1. 4025) This invention relates to price tags andparticularly to' tags of the type intended to be secured to articles ofmerchandise in such manner that they cannot be removed therefrom withoutdetection.

It is an object of the invention to provide a price tag of this typewhich shall provide improved safeguards against removal.

Itis a further object of the invention to provide a price tag of thistype having a portion adapted to be printed with sales information,which may be attached to the merchandise in either of two positionsaccording to the preference of the user, i. e., protruding outwardlyfrom the edge of the merchandise or lying contiguously tothemerchandise.

' A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes ofillustration is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the tag folded and secured as inuse. Y

Figure 2 is a plan View showing the tag partially folded with the`staples secured.

Figures 3 and 4 are plan views of the back and front of the tagrespectively.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure l showing one manner Vofattachment to the merchandise. Y

Figure 6 is a similar section showing another manner of attachment, andt Y Figure 7 is a similar section with the end ap unsecured.

Referring to the drawing, the tag comprises a series of flaps I, 2, 3,and 4 preferably formed from a single piece of relatively heavy paper orcardboard, the flaps being separated by folds 5, 6, and 1. The folds 5and 'I are folded in the opposite direction from the fold 6 so that theflaps may readily assume a Zig-Zag relationship in use as illustrated inVFigure 1.

The flaps 2, 3, and 4 may be of approximately equal lengths, while theap I which is intended to carry printed matter giving sales informationandthe like may be somewhat longer so as to provide a substantial areafor the reception of printed matter. Preferably the said salesinformation is printed on the front face of the flap I which isillustrated inFigure 4.

Mounted on the flap I close to the fold 5 is a wire staple 8 havingprongs 9 which are intended to secure the tag to merchandise. Thesaidstaple Ymay be of any desired form, the particular stapleillustrated in the drawing being one common form used for the purpose.

VVThe flap 2 is provided with a pair of slots I0 prongs from beingtampered with.

of a length sufficient to permit the prongs 9 to pass through withoutbeing bent as the tag is attached to the merchandise. The flap 3 is alsoprovided with a pair of apertures II adapted to Yreceive the prongs 9,which are thereafter bent over as illustrated in Figure 2 in order tosecure the tag to the merchandise. 1

It will be observed that in view of the arrangement of the flapspreviously described,V the Vmerchandise may be inserted in the foldbetween the lo flaps I and 2 as illustrated in Figure 5, or themerchandise may be inserted in the fold between the flaps 2 and 3 asillustrated in Figure 6. If inserted between the folds I and 2, theprongs 9 are passed through the merchandise, the flap 2 15 is thenfolded down with the prongs passing through the slots III, and the nap 3is then folded back with the prongs extending through the apertures I I.The prongs are then bent over as illustrated in Figure 2 and the tag isready to be sealed 20 as hereinafter described. In this case, asillustrated in Figure 5, the flap I extends along the merchandise fromthe edge thereof, contiguously thereto.

If the merchandise is inserted between the flaps 25 2 and 3, the flap 2is first folded down with the prongs extending through slots Il] and themerchandise is then inserted and the prongs are passed throughthemerchandise. The flap 3 is then folded down with the prongs extending30 through the apertures I I and the prongs are bent over as before. Inthis case, the flap I protrudes outwardly from the edge of themerchandise as illustrated in Figure 6.

In order to prevent tampering with the tag, g5 as by opening the prongsof the staple 8, the cover flap 4 is provided which folds over the endsof the prongs so that it is difficult to tamper with them; Preferablythe cover flap is secured by a seal which in itself cannot be openedwith- 0 out detection.A Various types of seals may be used for thispurpose, but the form of seal illustrated herein has been found to beparticularly effective for this purpose. This seal, which isparticularly described in Laencher Patent No. 1,916,003, dated June 27,1933, comprises two interlocking members I2 and I3 which are mountedrespectively on the aps 3 and 4. Preferably, the member I2 is located ata distance from the apertures II which is less than the length of theprongs, thus preventing the prongs from being bent downwardly. After thetag is pinned to the merchandise as previously described, the seal isclosed thus preventing the Y One of the advantages of the tagsillustrated herein has to do with the location of the staple 8. In sometags of this general type, the staple is located at a free edge of thetag. It has been found to be possible to remove tags of this type bytampering with the staple at the free edge. In the present form of tag,with the staple close to and covered by the fold 5, it is more difcultto tamper With the staple in this manner.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modified andembodied Within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A price tag comprising a seriesY of connected flaps adapted to befolded in zig-zag relationship, one of the end flaps having a prongedstaple mounted thereon close to the next adjacent ap, said next adjacentflap having apertures therein through which the prongs of said staplemay pass, the third flap in said series being also provided withapertures through which the prongs of the staple may pass, a cover flap,and means for securing the said third flap and said cover ap together.

2. A price tag comprising a series cf connected flaps adapted to befolded in zig-zag relationship, one of the end flaps of said seriesbeing longer than the other flaps and having a substantial area for thereception of printed matter, said end ilap having a pronged staplemounted thereon close to the next adjacent flap, said next adjacent flaphaving apertures therein through which the prongs of said staple may 5pass, the third flap in the series being also provided With aperturesthrough which the prongs of the staplernaypass, acover flap, and meansfor securing the said third ap and said cover flap together. l0 3. Aprice tag comprising a series of connected Y aps adapted to be folded inzig-zag relationship, one of the end aps of said series being longerthan the other flaps and having a substantial area for the reception ofprinted matter, 15 said end flap having a pronged staple mounted thereonclose to the next adjacent flap, said next adjacent ap having aperturestherein through Which the prongs of said staple may pass, the third flapin the series being also pro- 20 vided with apertures through which theprongs of the staple may passy a cover flap, the said third ap and thecover flap being provided With A interlocking seal members, the sealmember in said third ap being located at a distance from 25 theapertures in said flap less than the length of said prongs.

GUSTAF A. WALLIN.

